


Small Town Predicts My Fate

by theregoesmyfearow



Series: Long Road to Ruin [3]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire
Genre: M/M, Other, still making this up as i go along, there is a protagonist that's not may
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-05
Updated: 2017-04-27
Packaged: 2018-05-12 00:56:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5648017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theregoesmyfearow/pseuds/theregoesmyfearow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two rivals proceed to put their plans in action. Little do they know, things aren't going to be as easy as they thought. But of course, every failure should be treated as a learning opportunity- something better could always come along.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Taking Back the Crown

     Preparations for a great undertaking were coming to a summit both literally and figuratively. Scans and tests had shown that some sort of power rested inside Mt. Chimney. Team Magma had set up a base there in order to research it further.

     A stern man sat behind a desk. Scientific papers were scattered across the desk. The man sat rather stiffly as he held up a report on the chemical makeup of some small space rocks found in the area. It was the third time he’d gone over the report, and it just confirmed his suspicions. A flick of the wrist sent the report fluttering to another corner of the desk; right on top of a name plaque that read “Maxie”.

 

     Everything was going according to plan. But just then, there was a knock at the door. Maxie shouted for whoever it was to enter the office. Tabitha appeared. He seemed concerned.

 

     “Yes, Tabitha?”

     “I have reports that Team Aqua was trying to steal some parts from Devon.”

     “Hmm? But they have- never mind. Do you know what the parts were?”

     “Something I’d already created a replacement for, sir.”

     “Oh, so they’re after the meteorite as well? Then get it. Now.”

     “Sir, if they have you-know-who, then why didn’t they have her engineer the Devon technology? She should know as well as I-“

     “Don’t concern yourself with that, Tabitha. Get the meteorite.”

 

     Maxie sighed. As his chief admin walked out of the office, the Magma Leader put his feet up on his desk. If Team Aqua was after the meteorite as well, then clearly Shelly had figured out the chemical makeup of meteorites in Hoenn. But Maxie had one thing up his sleeve that Team Aqua couldn’t possibly have- knowledge of a professor in the area who studied such space rocks. A scouting mission involving a few grunts gave information that said professor had found a very large meteorite that could lead to a scientific breakthrough. Team Magma was going to steal it and fuse any crystals inside with the power of Mt. Chimney. The meteorite’s makeup was clearly that of a mega stone, or better yet; it could possibly contain enough potential to be a key stone.

     Team Magma needed that power. With mega evolution, Groudon’s hidden power could be unlocked. In addition, Maxie’s camerupt could mega evolve as well. Team Magma would be absolutely unstoppable.

    

     The next day, Maxie stood at the rim of Mt. Chimney. He had on his full uniform- from his specially made boots to his smart and stylish coat, everything was perfect. The goal was to command respect, and Maxie was confident that he’d be able to look the part as much as he could talk the part. Even his glasses fit- while they were somewhat similar to his old pair, they had carbon-fiber frames that extended down from the arms that resembled the clear attachments one could buy for average glasses that offered some additional safety. Clarity of the material didn’t matter- Maxie was proud that his glasses resembled the growths near Groudon’s jaws.

     Proximity had its definite advantages. By the time Team Aqua had packed the cable car and tried to storm their way up the summit, Team Magma had already set up the machine that would harness the power of the meteorite. The only thing left to do was activate it. Maxie took a bit of time to watch his nemesis, Archie, being held up by multiple grunts at once. It was an amusing sight. But just as he’d turned around to activate the machine, Maxie could hear Tabitha talking to someone. It didn’t matter. It was time.

     Maxie started going over his logic again, explaining to no one in particular how everything would go down. The plan sounded perfect. Everything would work just as he’d worked out. Until he realized someone was behind him, and it couldn’t be Tabitha- Tabitha would have announced his presence.

     A child stood there, defiant. There was a look of determination on the young one’s face. Of course, a battle was warranted. Maxie decided against trying to use Mega Evolution- clearly this child would be easily dismissed. There’d be no need for such a complicated thing when battling some strange child who’d decided to get in the way for whatever reason.

 

     About ten minutes later, though, Maxie watched the last hit fall upon his camerupt. He jumped back in shock, the jolt nearly knocking his glasses off. The shock of losing a battle quickly turned to intrigue. Maxie regained composure as best as he could, but it was difficult to hide a curious smirk. Who was the child, anyway? Not that it mattered horribly.

 

     “Take care that you do not get in my way again, or I will indeed bury you by my own hand.”

 

     After a quick warning, Maxie handed off the meteorite. It was of no use to him anymore- not with the message Tabitha had just sent. If the child wanted the space rock so badly, that was fine. After all, that meant Archie didn’t have it.

     As if on cue, Archie stormed past. He opened his mouth to speak, but Maxie got his message out first.

 

     “I see what’s mine and take it.”


	2. Losers Weepers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Archie puts two and two together but then gets some unfortunate news. If only he'd listened after that.

     There were two men spending time in a training room, both trying to beat the shit out of a couple of punching bags. It was time for daily training, bro style. Punching was also good for relieving stress and trying to sort out one’s thoughts.

     Archie had had a lot of thoughts over the preceding couple of days. There were two kids trying to mess with his plans. Though it had come to pass that they were also messing with his rival’s plans. It didn’t add up. When Maxie had gotten away, though, Archie had gotten a chance to try and get an answer from one of the two kids.

     The child was the same one who’d stopped his team from stealing submarine parts. He’d been able to get Team Magma off of his case by planting misinformation after the failed heist. Enough grunts complaining about not being able to get “machine parts” for a machine that’d be set up at Mt. Chimney got Team Magma on the rush to get to the volcano. But Archie still hadn’t gotten the submarine parts, all thanks to this odd kid.

 

     “Bro, what’cha thinkin’ about?”

     “Jus’ the usual, Matt. Confused by that scamp.”

     “Which one?”

     “The lad. Why’s he doin’ this? What’s his deal? Oughtta-“

     “What?”

     “Make him walk the plank, that’s what.”

 

     Archie remembered seeing the kid battle Maxie. The child stood a bit diagonal during the battle as opposed to directly in front of Maxie. The kid’s pokemon stood as normal. But then, Archie had found out why. The young man had to gesture to his pokemon. There wasn’t really a lot of communication when Archie got the chance. He noted that the boy had a small dry-erase board with him that was easily pulled out of his backpack. The boy had written “My name is Emmett” on the white board. That had given Archie the idea. The gestures meant different moves. His pokemon had learned to attack based on the gesture- no wonder they kept glancing at him. Emmett didn’t speak, and whatever the reason for that was, his pokemon had a strong bond.

 

     “I know how he beat Maxie.”

     “Yeah? What is it, Boss?”

     “He’s got a bond with his pokemon. Like one an ol’ sailor gets with his machoke or somethin’.”

     “He battles weird, though.”

     “He’s gesturin’ to his pokemon! ‘N I think he can’t speak.”

     “Oh. Jeez. But that girl.”

     “Oh, that lass is loud enough fer the two of ‘em!”

 

     Archie had a good laugh about that girl who’d stood up to Team Magma back at Meteor Falls. But it was clear she’d be a force to be reckoned with as well. Things were going to get incredibly complicated. Suddenly, Archie remembered something. There was a plan going down at that moment, and with those kids managing to show up at everything that either team did, there was a chance that’d go wrong too.

 

     The training session ended quickly. Archie went to his office and waited for a call from Shelly. Soon enough, the call arrived. Shelly talked for around two whole minutes explaining how she and the grunts had been defeated by a child who gestured a lot and had a dry-erase board. It was Emmett. Archie’s rage spiked, and he cut Shelly off mid-sentence when she started talking about new findings.

 

     “No, Shells, just stop.”

     “Archie, the pokemon we tried to steal wasn’t going to do what we wanted anyway.”

     “I get that. Just head for Mt. Pyre.”

     “Archie, listen to me. If we-“

     “Shelly, do you not trust me ‘n my plan?”

     “You know it’s not like that.”

     “Then shut it.”

     “Archie, there’s a chance-“

     “Shells!”

     “Fine. Have it your way.”

 

     He felt bad for snapping at Shelly, but she should have known better. Archie sighed and went back to work planning the trip to Mt. Pyre. He’d just have to meet Shelly there. There was the option of just sending her back to the base after they’d met up- Shelly would likely be more than happy to go back instead of hang around. She could really be stubborn at times, and Archie knew that more than anyone else. But it was really getting to be a pain in the ass.


	3. You Know I Did It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When your dream becomes a reality, but it's starting to turn into a nightmare.

     Mt. Pyre awaited. The summit was within reach, and it beckoned. The Blue Orb, which by calculations, had the power to awaken and control Groudon, was ready for the taking. Everything was going according to plan.

     It was incredibly easy to get to the top; a couple of shuppet weren’t going to scare the great Maxie. At the summit, though, there were words of warning. What did that matter? Warning? Maxie paid no attention and snatched up the Blue Orb. He jumped back when his nemesis, Archie, came running up the path. Right behind him was a pair of children. Maxie tried to get down the mountain, but a girl with her hair tied back with a red bow stopped right in front of him.

 

     “Excuse me, young lady, but I need to be going.”

     “No, you don’t! You give back that orb!”

 

     The battle took a while, and Maxie was pretty sure that he’d attracted Archie’s attention- except Archie was tied up in a battle of his own. But while Maxie lost this battle- just as he had against the boy now battling Archie- the girl who’d won had forgotten one detail. Losing wasn’t going to change Maxie’s mind.

 

     “How about no, I keep the Blue Orb.”

 

     Maxie stomped away. He was too irritated to answer back to the girl’s shouting about the orb being blue. Did she think he was colorblind? Maxie was even too irritated to question why Tabitha seemed a bit out of sorts. What mattered was that the Blue Orb was in his possession. Groudon would be awakened.

     The time spent making preparations was strangely quiet. Maxie wanted to tell Tabitha all about how excited he was to find out that the power he’d detected under Mt. Chimney was Groudon the whole time.  Tabitha was going over some documents, and then going over them a second time. When Maxie figured it had to have been the third time the admin was looking over the papers, it was time to intervene.

 

     “Tabitha, what importance could those documents possibly serve?”

     “Sir, I’m going over my calculations, and we may have missed something.”

     “Look, Groudon will be in my control very soon. What could we have missed? We’re so close to the goal.”

     “Maxie, sir, the consequences of awakening Groudon-“

     “Consequences? Consequences!? Tabitha, you are mistaken. There will be no consequences. I can finally achieve my dream- I mean our dream, Team Magma’s vision. This is a great undertaking, not just for humans, but for pokemon as well! I would have hoped my dear admin would understand this.”

     “Sir, I do, I just-“

     “Then do not defy me, Tabitha.”

     “Y-yes, sir.”

 

     Within a couple of hours, the preparations were complete. Maxie stood in front of Groudon’s sleeping form, watching it slumber. Soon it would be awake and ready to expand the landmasses. Everything was perfect. It was time.

     Except, suddenly, the young boy appeared. Tabitha was running behind him, clearly making a failed attempt to alert Maxie to the child’s presence.

 

     “Oh, so you’re here. I’m glad. You’ll be able to witness. Battle? Is that what you want? Oh, I’ll gladly show off my skills at battling using Mega Evolution!”

 

     Maxie was more than amused by the battle. The child was able to command his pokemon beautifully, having clearly raised them well since the previous meeting. But despite Maxie’s best efforts, it was a narrow loss. It didn’t matter. Losing didn’t matter one bit. There was nothing stopping him from controlling Groudon. Nothing. Not even… Tabitha.

 

     “Sir, you need to stop. You can’t do this.”

     “Tabitha? How dare you!?”

     “Maxie, I know why you’re doing this, but you don’t know the disaster-“

     “You’re fired. You’re fired, Tabitha. Get out- no. No, don’t get out of my sight at all. You will witness this as well.”

 

     With the final goal in sight, Maxie raised the Blue Orb high above his head. It glowed before bathing the room in a blue light. Groudon roared to consciousness and flung bits of lava up into the air. Maxie was too frozen in awe to move, though luckily none of the lava came too close to him. Everything was perfect. He’d won. If only Groudon hadn’t leapt away and escaped. And if only a call hadn’t come over Maxie’s pokenav plus.

 

     “What? A drought? Ha, the seas will dry up. If this is how it shall be, then let it be done. What? No. No, it can’t be dangerous. I mean, it- oh. What? Groudon’s rampaging? No. No, I should be in control. I should be in control of it. I’m not? Why not?”

 

     It was indeed a disaster. Tabitha was declared un-fired for the time being, but Maxie was definitely going to re-fire that back-talking admin later. Clearly he’d sabotaged the research. Clearly he’d done something to mess it up. There would be consequences all right. Consequences for Tabitha. And why should it stop there? Why not take out revenge on Groudon’s former bed? Why not blow the top off of Mt. Chimney? The possibilities just kept coming.


	4. Dropping Like the Grains in an Hourglass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Achieving one's biggest goal could be far more difficult than it seems- especially if it doesn't go as planned. And just when you think you understand someone, they might just turn back on what they claimed they believed in.

The goal was in sight. Archie was waiting for the perfect moment. A scout stood outside, watching the people gather for the unveiling of a submarine that could comb the sea’s depths. Once the signal was given, Archie held up his megaphone and started shouting through it. The minutes afterward flew by without much time for thinking about what had just happened. The grunts at the harbor were defeated quickly, leaving Archie and Shelly just enough time to escape.

But the trip back to the hideout was a tense one. Shelly seemed preoccupied. When Archie tried to question her, she just brushed him off. It was no use trying to discuss anything further.

Archie was displeased with Shelly’s cold behavior, but there was too much work to be done to try and cheer her up. After all, it was possible Shelly was still bothered about the whole weather institute problem. There was no way in hell Archie was going to bring that up again.

Back at the base, the grunts followed Shelly’s submarine modification designs and readied the submarine for its launch. Kyogre was waiting on Route 128, just behind a tough seal. But a tough seal was going to be no match for a high-powered drill. Kyogre’s power was going to be within Archie’s grasp.

But just before things were getting finished, a grunt in Mossdeep had some important information. Team Magma had not only awakened Groudon, but they were trying to steal rocket fuel from the Space Center. Archie questioned the significance of rocket fuel only to get an answer he would have never expected. The scout reported that Maxie’s shouting had something to do with “blowing the top off of Mt. Chimney”. Archie had to end the call on his Pokenav Plus. Shelly stared him down with a concerned expression.

 

     “That’s not like him.”

     “What’s not like whom?”

     “Blowin’ up the whole mountain. He wouldn’t.”

     “Talking about Maxie, are we? I hear he woke up Groudon.”

     “He did. We gotta get a move on.”

     “There uh, there seems to be a bad drought. Dangerous.”

     “What’s dangerous is dumpin’ rocket fuel in a volcano! Maxie’s not that reckless. The fuck’s goin’ through his head?”   

 

     Archie started pacing back and forth. He really wanted the submarine to be finished so he could get to Kyogre. Shelly was getting visibly irritated herself. Suddenly, that kid arrived. Archie took a few seconds to try and remember the boy’s name. He was pretty sure it was Emmett, but the young scamp didn’t have his dry erase board out. Matt stepped up for the battle. Archie took the chance he’d been given and made a dash for the submarine. Once he, Shelly, and a few grunts were inside, the hatch was closed and they took off.

 

Upon reaching Kyogre’s lair, Archie held the Red Orb in his hand. Kyogre slept in a small pool of water, silent and peaceful in its slumber. Of course, that child decided to turn up there too. Shelly came running in and skidded to a stop right in front of Archie.

 

     “Archie, please. The downpour-“

     “Will cause the sea to swallow up the coast. The sea is a harsh mistress indeed.”

     “No, that’s not- that’s not what I’m talking about. I ran the calculations again. And with what Team Magma did-“

     “Well, clearly we have to reverse this.”

     “Archie, every action has an opposite reaction.”

“And Team Magma has already awakened Groudon. We need to counteract that. Besides, if Maxie’s already blown Mt. Chimney to bits, then there’s nothin’ that will make him hesitate to kill us all.”

    

Shelly stepped back. The child, Emmett, stepped forward. He looked rather pissed off. There was only one thing that could settle it- a battle. Archie was more than happy to oblige. After all, Mega Evolution would be the perfect exercise before taking Kyogre’s power for himself.

The battle turned out to be a loss. But there was no way an adult like Archie was going to let losing to a kid stop him from achieving his dream. He held up the Red Orb and laughed as the red glow that started to emanate from it washed over the cavern. Kyogre sprung to consciousness, spraying a briny splash of water towards everyone around. Suddenly though, it leapt out of the way, seemingly escaping through a back route.

 

     “What? It should be within my control!”

 

A call came in over Archie’s Pokenav Plus, albeit crackly. Some grunts outside standing on a sandbar reported in that the rain was falling far more heavily than what they’d been told it would. They also noted that Team Magma had been caught in Mossdeep and that some strange man with grey hair had shown up along with Maxie and one of the Magma Admins. The grey-haired man was apparently scolding everyone around.

Archie turned to Shelly. She looked more irritated than anything else.

 

     “What, ya told me so? That it?”

     “Archie. Now is not the time for this.”

     “Well, let’s get outta here and we’ll discuss it afterwards.”

     “You just don’t understand, do you?”

     “I understand that you might be fired.”

     “You wouldn’t. Matt and I are all you have left. And you know that if I go, he will too.”

     “Maybe I would. Maybe I’d fire ya.”

 

Shelly stomped away, and Archie followed. He could hear the meddling kid’s footsteps behind him. It was hard to face what had just happened. It was equally hard to face the annoying scolding that was sure to be waiting for him.

In the end, Archie had gotten his wish. But at the same time, was it really worth the amount of trouble he'd been subjected to? And if Kyogre couldn’t be controlled, then what would become of Hoenn? The world? With Groudon also awakened, it seemed that the cataclysm of legends was about to be redone.


	5. Losing My Religion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was wrong, it was all wrong the whole time. Imagine having to face the fact that 12 years of work was all wrong.

     The drenching rain cast a solemn mood over everyone meeting at the sandbar on Route 128. When the submarine surfaced, Maxie raised an eyebrow. It looked absolutely ridiculous with its modifications, but it wasn’t the time to laugh. The situation was dire. He glanced at Courtney, then at the man who’d introduced himself as “Steven”. Things weren’t going to go remotely well.

     Unfortunately, when Archie emerged from the now run-aground submarine, Maxie was the first person he seemed to notice. The rugged buffoon tried to rush through the few inches of water that covered the small island. Maxie stepped back, but Archie stopped right in front of him.

 

     “I can’t believe this.”

     “You woke up Kyogre. This isn’t entirely on me.”

     “I heard about Mossdeep. F- screw yer little-, you-“

     “What? How did you hear about that?”

     “Never mind that, ya tell me what makes someone who’s suppos’ta have standards be that reckless!”

    

     Maxie stared, his eyes open as wide as they were going to get. Reckless? He’d never thought about how his thrown-together plan had so much disregard for not only the environment around Mt. Chimney and for the life surrounding it. But all of a sudden those thoughts flooded his mind. Maxie held his hands about chest-level and watched them shake ever so slightly. His own actions had started to frighten him. The fact that Archie had recognized how unlike him it was to be so reckless really didn’t help the situation. Archie spoke again.

 

     “Got nothin’ to say for yerself, ya scurvy-“

     “Archie.”

     “Don’t ya pull anythin’ on me. I’ll throttle ya, Maxie! Don’t think I won’t squeeze the air outta yer lungs!”

     “And that’s not reckless of you?”

 

     Maxie tried to step back even further, but he knew eventually he’d run out of room. Thankfully Steven intervened. He suggested they all meet at Sootopolis, as it seemed the legendary pokemon were heading there.

     At Sootopolis, Groudon had created a small pedestal of rock to sit on. Kyogre was flinging water at it, but the water evaporated before it could hit. Groudon was throwing large rocks at Kyogre but kept missing. The circle of the crater in which Sootopolis sat framed the sky. Energy poured out of Groudon and Kyogre, and storm clouds battled with harsh sunlight. Courtney remarked that it was entirely possible for strong tornadoes to be forming over Hoenn’s mainland. Even Archie seemed afraid of such power.

 

     The group made their way to the outside of the Cave of Origin. A rather flamboyant man with turquoise hair had something important to say. There was one legendary pokemon that could put an end to the cataclysm, but that a strong and pure-hearted trainer would have to go forth. The children stood in front of the man. The girl stepped back and said something about the boy being the better choice. Maxie watched as the young boy pulled out his dry erase board. He must have written some sort of confirmation, as the apparent caretaker of the Cave of Origin walked away with him. Steven ordered everyone else to sit down and wait.

     There was the chance to fight, then and there. Maxie could try to one-up Archie, but it was pointless. They’d both screwed up so badly that the whole world was in danger. It was no use to take just more than a decade of opposition to light. He looked over at Archie, but felt a piercing stare upon him. It was that girl. Maxie still didn’t know her name, but it hadn’t mattered. But those kids had tried to stop them. They had to have known something. It became important to recognize someone so bright.

 

     “Your name, miss?”

     “May, May Birch.”

     “The professor’s kid. There’s why you’re so bright.”

     “Emmett’s bright too. And he’s a gym leader’s son!”

     “Oh, so there’s why he’s so connected with his pokemon.”

    

     And there was the answer. Maxie had gotten both children’s names with one question. Suddenly, though, regrets started flooding back more than they already had been. Snapping at Tabitha was probably the least of his problems, but Maxie hated that he’d refused to listen. There was a good reason Tabitha had tried to stop him from waking up Groudon, but he’d been… foolish. It hurt to admit it, even inside his own mind, but Maxie knew it. He’d been foolish, reckless, and more things he didn’t even quite have words to describe.

     It was difficult. It was all difficult. The looming reality that even if the whole mess could be fixed, there would be so much cleaning up to do, and even cleaning up wouldn’t be enough to redeem someone who’d caused the apocalypse. But it wasn’t singlehanded. It had essentially been a team effort, even if the two sides weren’t working together.

 

     “Archie.”

     “What could ya possibly want at a time like this?”

     “Are you still offering what you threatened earlier?”

     “I dunno what ye’re talkin’ about.”

     “Do you still wish to strangle me?”

     “Maxie, I- I would think you of all people would know me better than that.”

 

     Maxie stared straight ahead. He knew all too well the products of rage. He remembered he hadn’t gotten any sleep since well before trying to wake up Groudon. It dawned on him that Steven was staring at him from across the path to the Cave of Origin. It seemed as if the grey-haired man was more than stunned to hear any reference to Maxie and Archie knowing each other rather well. There really wasn’t any more reason to hide that fact, but Maxie had become used to hiding it.

     It was getting tiring to wait, and time had ceased to be a concept. Maxie was sitting in the corner by the entrance to the Cave of Origin, and Archie was sitting on the opposite side. Courtney sat diagonally off to Maxie’s left, and Steven and May sat in a central location. Maxie knew it was just in case any fights were to break out. Matt stood behind Archie, his height still fascinating. Shelly and Tabitha were pacing under a tree on a little island just across a little bridge. It seemed as if they’d started to get along again- that or they were just being civil while people who’d put a stop to an argument were around.

     The temptation to just take a nap was strong. But was it really that safe? Maxie caught himself about to doze off and shook his head in an attempt to wake up fully. He hadn’t pulled an all-nighter since… since the nights he’d sleeplessly work on gadgets through the night, crashing around ten in the morning when strong coffee just wasn’t enough anymore. Back then, he’d wake up with a blanket around him. Being soggy in Sootopolis was nothing like that. But something told Maxie that waking up was guaranteed. Still, he wasn’t going to give himself the option of sleeping.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> //At least they know enough not to swear in front of the kids.


	6. Trying to Keep Up With You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the apocalypse comes to a bittersweet end, it's time to face a lot of facts.

The rain poured, but some cracks in the clouds were visible- these cracks let loose bright beams of sunlight. Archie sat just outside the Cave of Origin; not allowed to go in and not allowed to leave. He had been told that if the child who’d gone with the cave’s caretaker could awaken one final ancient pokemon, everything would be taken care of. It didn’t sound any better, but there was nothing left to do. Waking up Kyogre had ruined everything. Or at least, almost everything. Maxie’s nonsense with waking up Groudon was the other half of the problem at hand.   
Archie didn’t really want to have to deal with his bitter rival, and he didn’t want to deal with the guilt that had set in. What he’d done was unforgivable. There was no atonement. He and Maxie would never be able to repay the entirety of Hoenn- no, the world for what disaster they’d caused. In that moment, it was clear that the two were equals, just equally terrible people.  
There was absolutely no use in opposing each other anymore. Archie could see it, but just because it was pointless to continue fighting didn’t mean a truce had to be formed. Nobody had to put aside any differences, it just meant they had to give up their dreams. Bitterness was still a viable option.  
But on the other hand, it just took too much energy to keep being angry. Instead, Archie stood up and tried to focus on what little of the legendary battle that he could see in the distance. There were things in the way, like that blasted Sootopolis Gym. But bright flashes of light and plumes of water were visible.   
“How come they’re not Mega- wait. Wait, Shells said it wasn’t Mega Evolution.”  
“Primal Reversion.”  
“Yeah, that. Wait. Maxie, how’d ya know that? Go to the Weather Institute yerself?”  
“The crystal makeup of the Blue Orb isn’t quite the same as a mega stone. So I did some research. It’s Primal Reversion. Groudon and Kyogre go back to their ancient forms and use their true power.”

Maxie’s information didn’t answer too much. Archie looked over at the redhead and saw the Blue Orb in his hand. Theoretically, if Maxie had gotten to Groudon first, shouldn’t he have won? Archie pulled out the Red Orb from a pouch attached to his belt. But then, why couldn’t Kyogre be controlled? A shout came from across the path.

“You two sillies have the wrong orbs!”

Archie stared at the girl, who’d introduced herself as May earlier. How did she know that? Though after a bit of thought, it was somewhat obvious. It’d probably be something to laugh about after the whole mess was over. That was, if it actually went over. Archie glanced at Maxie. Maxie was biting his lip and staring intently at the Blue Orb. Archie kept looking until Maxie looked back- then he quickly turned away. There was something about the situation that seemed tense. Perhaps it was the amount of time spent waiting for resolve. Perhaps it was the fact that Archie had realized he was no better than his nemesis.

“Maxie.”  
“What could you possibly want?”  
“What’re ya gonna to do after this?”  
“Could you look at me when you’re talking to me?”  
“No.”  
“Why the hell not? Can’t give me even a low amount of respect?”  
“’s not it. Ya remind me of someone I used to know.”  
“Really, now?”  
“A skinny lil’ researcher that I didn’t hate with all my being.”  
“Oh.”

Archie sat back down in the corner by the cave entrance. He noticed that Steven kept looking at him, then at Maxie, then back at him. What secrets were held didn’t matter anymore. If people knew about the past, then they knew. That’s all there was to it. Nothing mattered. The destructive goals had gotten in the way in the first place. Whatever had happened before that had ceased to be scandalous in light of the apocalypse beginning.

Suddenly, a burst of green light appeared overhead. Archie stood up to look at it, and saw everyone else follow suit. Steven started rejoicing, clearly knowing what was going on. His shouting clued the others in- Rayquaza had arrived to put an end to Groudon and Kyogre’s cataclysmic battle. Hope had been restored. Lives would be saved. But at the same time, it was bittersweet. A familiar but cracking voice spoke. Archie hadn’t heard such a crack in years.

“Perhaps- just perhaps w-we humans weren’t meant to control the weather. Everything seems to balance as it is!”  
“Oh, Maxie, I couldn’t have put it in better words.”

It was hard not to get drawn into the small celebration, no matter how much Archie tried to resist it. The kid who’d had the pure heart to awaken Rayquaza came back to the Cave of Origin with the cave’s caretaker. Suddenly, everyone was staring toward the two responsible. Archie hadn’t noticed he had stepped closer to Maxie. He tried to speak to break the awkward silence.

“As adults, sometimes we screw up. I take full responsibility for my rash behavior- no, worse. Despicable. I should walk the plank for this.”

Archie looked over at everyone standing around. Maxie nodded.

“I as well. There is absolutely no excuse, and I was foolish to think such a plan would help people and pokemon. I have done reprehensible things, no matter the intent behind them.”

There wasn’t anything further to be said. Suddenly, Archie felt someone hugging him. Shelly had come up behind him.

“Look, Boss. Archie. You don’t have to walk the plank. If you want so badly to help, then there’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to help in cleaning up. You have time to learn from your mistakes. Look, Maxie’s in the same boat, and from what I can tell, Tabitha’s giving him a similar lecture.”

So it came to pass that the others were willing to offer up a chance at redemption. It also turned out that Steven was the former champion of the Hoenn Pokemon League, and Wallace was the current champion. It was no wonder they’d been instrumental in keeping things in check and guiding everything back to balance. There just happened to be one more tear that could be mended. Back at the Sootopolis pokemon center, a well-needed break was taken. It was a good chance to work some things out. Archie sat down at a table off to the side where trainers could rest. Maxie sat down across from him.

“Maxie. Would you work with me to clean up this mess?”  
“I thought you were refusing to look at me.”  
“I’m willing to put differences aside if you are.”  
“Of course. But Archie, are you sure we can get along?”  
“Do ya not want to? I’ll even cut the tough guy act.”  
“Please tell me you didn’t fake a sailor accent again.”  
“Nah, it grew on me. It’s real this time.”

Archie frowned. Maxie still seemed rather distant. But of course, there was one neutral possibility as to why that would be. It hurt to admit, even to himself, but Archie knew it was why he had planned on ignoring Maxie as much as possible. There was something deep down that recognized a problem. Even if that something was also recognizing that hunger was setting in.

“Jeez, I’m famished.”  
“Oh. Go eat something, Archie.”  
“You should too.”  
“No, I’d rather not.”  
“Look, ya don’t have to beat yerself up like that.”  
“I’m too tired and anxious to eat. Okay? Something wrong with that?”  
“Maxie. What time did you get up this morning?”  
“I didn’t sleep.”  
“For fuck’s sakes. What time did you get up yesterday?”  
“Six.”

Archie pulled out his pokenav plus and checked the time. With the math calculated out, that meant Maxie had been awake for thirty-six hours. Archie’s jaw dropped. If there was any part of him that still refused to care, it had disappeared. The sheer ridiculousness of staying awake for that long was just too much. Archie got up off of his seat and pushed a couple of footstools up against a bench. Pokemon centers often let people stay the night in the lounge areas, so there wouldn’t be a problem if he babysat Maxie for the evening. 

“Maxie, get over here.”  
“I’d rather not.”  
“Ya piece of shit, get over here and take a nap.”  
“I should- I should be getting back.”  
“Nonsense. Ye’re not in college anymore. You can’t be doing this to yourself.”  
“Why do you even care?”  
“I don’t know, okay? Come on, Max. you need the rest. I’ll get ya somethin’ from out the vending machine when ya wake up.”  
“I- alright.”  
“See? And I’ll sleep in the chair when I get that tired. You can get back to yer base tomorrow.”

Archie grabbed a magazine from the shelf and only paid attention to Maxie for a few seconds every ten or so minutes. It didn’t take long for the Magma leader to fall asleep, but Archie didn’t expect it to take long. Not with that much sleep deprivation. He was a bit embarrassed to care that much about such a complete jerk’s well-being, but at least the admins hadn’t seen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do NOT stay awake for 36 hours oh my god. Sleep is your friend. Even if you're a college student, don't do that. I know a guy who stayed up for 60, and do NOT do that.


	7. I've Seen These Streets You're Walking Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The cleanup starts. An alliance is formed, but will it last?

Enough light filtered in to wake Maxie up. He didn’t open his eyes right away, but he could clearly see that it was bright. That didn’t add up. Every morning he woke up at 6am to an alarm. Of course, there were a few exceptions to the rule- but then he’d wake up in the lab with papers stuck to his face.   
The little sleeping area behind a somewhat camouflaged door in Maxie’s office didn’t have windows. The base was underground. There was no way anyone could have gotten in to turn on the lights- and they wouldn’t be quite this bright. And there would be blankets. Clearly this was somewhere else.  
Maxie opened his eyes and sat up. Of course, the Pokemon Center. Another couple seconds of thought brought back the memories of the previous day. A quick glance to the side revealed that there was a small pile of granola bars sitting on the small table near where Maxie had been sleeping. Archie had promised something from the vending machine, hadn’t he? He’d picked what would appear to the not-as-educated to be the healthiest choice. But Maxie knew better- the granola bars would be packed full of sugar. Though after what had gone down, sugar would probably be a good thing.   
It took about half an hour for Archie to wake up. Maxie didn’t need to stick around, but it was diplomatic to wait to be able to thank that buffoon- especially if they were going to have to work together to clean up Hoenn.

“Thanks for the snacks.”  
“Hmm? Oh. Ye’re welcome, Max.”

Maxie tilted his head to the side ever so slightly. Had Archie really fallen back into old habits? But what should be done about it? Maxie wondered if correction was in order. It was possible that he should scold Archie for using an even shorter form of his name that not even Tabitha used. But at the same time, what did it matter? Was that muscled brute really going to stop using that level of informality just because he was told not to? Of course. Maxie soon came to the realization that not much had actually changed.

 

“You’re just about the same as you were back then, aren’t you, Archie?”  
“What makes you think I’d change?”  
“It’s been just over a decade. I thought you’d be different.”  
“Have YOU changed?”  
“I suppose not. Apart from finding out my dream was a nightmare, I can’t say I noticed anything different about myself.”  
“All right then. Ya know, maybe we could be friends.”

The words almost echoed. Maxie just sat there, thinking about the proposition. It was strange and it seemed implausible. But that was it- it was just implausible. At one point, a friendship had worked. At one point in time, the two got along well enough to actually be friends, not bitter rivals.  
Maxie didn’t have any more energy to be bitter. But it was time to be getting back to the base. Someone had to announce to the grunts that a cleanup effort was going to be launched. Delegating that job to Courtney or Tabitha would be shirking the responsibilities of a leader. There was only a brief acknowledgement of the time spent, not even a proper farewell. 

Back at the base, it was time to coordinate what would have to be done. The damage from the drought would have to be calculated. In order to get things done quickly, some grunts would likely have to be sent to coastal areas to help rebuild what was hit by the waves. Scouts were sent out. Numbers were crunched. A few days went by before a message came in from the former champion. It was a letter written on Devon Corporation stationery. The words were handwritten carefully, and Maxie was surprised that he hadn’t figured out the obvious fact that Steven Stone was in fact the heir to the Devon Corporation. But all the same, Devon’s technology was being offered as a way to help with repairing damage. Maxie wrote back a polite refusal of the services, stating that both Shelly and Tabitha were brilliant researchers in their own rights who could be more than able to work something out. He didn’t mention his own time at the company, but he could have.   
Things were definitely looking up. A visitor showed up one day. Courtney escorted the man in, but Maxie almost didn’t recognize Archie with formal attire. It was unsettling to be underdressed in one’s own office. Maxie had dressed as usual, with his red turtleneck, but he’d traded his shorts and leggings for khaki dress pants.

“You didn’t need to wear a suit. What do you want?”  
“Thought we could talk over coffee.”  
“I suppose we could. Do you take cream or sugar? Because I have some crème liqueur that is absolutely delicious when added to a strong cup of coffee.”  
“Oh, ye’re willing to share?”  
“If you’re willing to behave, my good sir, I’m willing to share.”  
“Oh, Maxie. Such formality. Is that necessary?”  
“You’re the one who decided to wear a suit.”

The stiffness and awkwardness quickly subsided, with nothing to do with the addition of alcohol to coffee. It was as if years had melted away, and two hardened men had let themselves revert back to the days they’d spent fighting alongside each other for what was right. Archie and Maxie were on good terms again, or at least far better than how they’d been for the past eleven years. 

“Maxie, do you even still know me after all this time?”  
“I know you’re a huge dork who feeds his sharpedo treats.”  
“Anyone with a sharpedo does that.”  
“I bet you still call it for ‘treats time’ and talk to it like a baby.”  
“Fuck you. I bet you still eat instant noodle cups!”

Maxie stared back at Archie. There was indeed a stash of instant noodle cups in the office. There was a microwave in the corner for heating up said noodle cups. Hell, there was even a microwave in the lab area labeled “no science in here!” for heating up noodle cups during late night work sessions.   
It wasn’t worth pressing. Not a lot had changed. It was just the experiences, like how sabotaging Team Rocket had been an experience.   
But Archie left after a while, with no more agreements made. It had been a time to catch up on things, and a time to poke fun at each other in a lighthearted way instead of insults. There would maybe be a time to discuss other things, such as whether or not the friendship would actually last. But that was not a pressing matter. What mattered was taking the second chance they both had seriously and acting like responsible adults.


	8. How Much Do I Invest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When a thief starts stealing key stones, the effort to find out what happened becomes an opportunity for teamwork... even if there's not much that can be done.

The morning’s routine was interrupted by the fact that something was missing. Archie looked around for the gold anchor on a gold chain that held his key stone. It couldn’t have just been misplaced. It had to have either been lost somewhere or- Arceus forbid- stolen. But who could have stolen it? There were no immediate signs of forced entry. But an investigation of the area showed that the lock had been tampered with.

     Archie talked to Matt about it, but didn’t get back any sort of clue as to what happened. But after more discussion, something clicked.

 

     “There is that grunt that’s unaccounted for.”

     “What?”

     “There’s one grunt that I could almost swear has a twin working for Team Magma.”

     “’N this grunt’s just. Disappeared?”

     “Yep.”

     “G’dammit.”

 

     The next thing to do was to investigate. Tracking down that grunt couldn’t be that difficult, could it? There were only so many places in Hoenn that someone could hide, and with as many Team Aqua grunts as there were, only a criminal mastermind could hide for very long. But as Archie was finishing looking around Lilycove, a new concern got in the way.

     A few members of Team Magma stood near the Lilycove Department Store. Those who showed up happened to be Admin Courtney, a few grunts, and their leader, Maxie. Something seemed off. Archie walked over and noticed that Maxie was wearing his formal coat, but no glasses.

 

     “Did you get contacts?”

     “No, Archie, I did not.”

     “I thought ya were almost as blind as a zubat without yer glasses.”

     “I am. My glasses were stolen.”

     “Oh. Well, ya look better when ya wear them.”

     “That’s funny, because you look better when I don’t wear them.”

 

     Archie decided he deserved that insult and started to get back to looking for that nasty turncoat thief, but then he realized something. If Maxie’s glasses had been stolen, then what was he doing around Lilycove? Carrying on business, probably- or looking to see if someone who had a base around there had taken them? That was possible too. Except Archie knew he hadn’t taken the glasses. Had one of his grunts done that? None of them would be bold enough to steal the glasses right off of Maxie’s face.

 

     “Wait. Max, isn’t yer key stone in yer glasses?”

     “Hmm. Why do you ask?”

     “My anchor’s gone. Someone stole it.”

     “Well, I was up late researching, and I took my glasses off to take a quick rest. But I woke up later than I’d hoped, and my glasses were nowhere to be found.”

     “Interesting. I think we both have a thief on our hands. Possibly the same one.”

 

     Archie tried to explain about the thieving underling disappearing and got a similar story from Maxie. It was starting to become clear that some sneaky person had joined both teams and managed to steal key stones. It turned out Maxie had been looking to complain to Archie about it.

     The search almost continued with combined forces, but a news bulletin came over Maxie’s pokenav plus. Some sort of disturbance was going down at the Mossdeep Space Center. Archie laughed, and Maxie insisted over and over that he had nothing to do with it. After a moment, though, both teams decided to check it out.

 

     Steven was standing in the second floor of the Space Center, and he did not seem at all thrilled to see that Team Aqua and Team Magma were showing up. But that wasn’t the biggest concern, not by a long shot. The suspect grunt was there as well. She was trying to reason with the former Champion.

     But before Archie could attempt to get his key stone back, the woman ran off again. While Matt and Courtney gave chase, Archie decided to question Steven about what was going on.

 

     “Alright, Stone. What’s the big problem here?”

     “If you must know, we’re all in danger. There’s an asteroid headed straight for Hoenn.”

     “And yer space nerds can’t fix that?”

     “We can, actually, with Devon technology. We’re going to send the asteroid to another universe!”

     “How in the f-“

     “The problem is, this woman says there’s likely people in that other universe.”

 

     Before anyone could get an explanation, the kids who’d been hailed as heroes bursted into the Space Center. The boy, Emmett, was waving his white board. He’d written “I can help!” on it. While the children were getting the same explanation from Steven, Archie pulled Maxie aside.

 

     “Did ya know about this?”

     “I didn’t think they’d get it to work.”

     “And ya didn’t stop them?”

     “Look, I don’t know if there’s even another universe. There are different things in life that can be considered evidence, but we can’t know if there are other people there or not.”

     “If there are?”

     “Archie, think about it. If the asteroid would kill us, warping it into another dimension would in theory put it in a copy of our universe. It’d kill anyone in its path.”

     “Can’t- can’t ya just engineer something up?”

     “It would take years. Look, if Devon was working on this while I was there, don’t you think it would take a while to fix it? I never thought it would work. I thought it was frivolous.”

 

     Archie sighed. It seemed as if everyone was doomed. But then those kids ran down the stairs before walking back up. May said something about going to go help someone called Zinnia get Rayquaza to help. But Rayquaza had been the one to stop Groudon and Kyogre. If anything, that made sense. But there was something else said. Mega Rayquaza. How was that thing going to mega evolve? Wouldn’t it be a Primal Reversion like what Groudon and Kyogre did?

     Steven was pacing the floor in the Space Center. Archie watched him for a bit before leaning against a wall and sliding down to sit on the floor. He watched as Maxie did the same. Something was definitely wrong. It took a little while, but the realization hit. Of course, that woman had no key stone of her own. But why would she need two? Though it looked like she had been holding a different pendant. Three? How many had that thief stolen? Would multiple key stones increase their power?

     A quick check of the time revealed that it had only been half an hour. Suddenly, Steven ran past and went down the stairs. Something clearly required his attention. Archie wasn’t sure if he enjoyed being in a room completely surrounded by nerds. He decided to make that known.

 

     “I’m surrounded by nerds.”

     “Excuse me?”

     “I know ye’re still here. The fact still stands.”

     “Do you wish to destroy any sort of unwritten treaty we may have had?”

     “Nah. Just a bit weird, with all the science nerds around.”

     “Well, your yammering isn’t helping. Did you forget my glasses are gone? Not being able to see is giving me a headache and you are not making that any better.”

     “Shit.”

     “Hmm?”

     “Nothin’, nothin’.”

 

     Archie stared ahead. It was suddenly difficult to push aside any protective feelings he may have had in the past. Just twelve or so years before, he would have pulled Maxie into his arms. Even years of fighting hadn’t been able to bury the shared memories completely. But if he’d give in, it’d be just his luck that Steven would appear, and then that rich pretty boy would know. May and Emmett would probably come rushing up the stairs, and if they saw- oh, Archie would never hear the end of that. So he kept his hands to himself and refused to offer any sort of comforting gesture.

 

     Eventually, the scientists started talking excitedly amongst themselves. They seemed to suddenly notice the men at the back of the room. Archie got up and helped Maxie to his feet. There was something on the radar screen. Archie watched as Maxie positioned himself right in front of the screen to read it.

 

     “I think it’s gone. These aren’t readings I’m too familiar with, but there is something that looks like it translates to power levels. There’s an increase in power levels.”

     “Max? Explain.”

     “The asteroid. I’m not seeing anything on this little radar bit, but the power levels are through the roof.”

     “So… they did it? We’re safe?”

     “I’d have to assume so, at least for now.”

 

     Archie pulled Maxie into a hug before realizing what he’d done. He was surprised that the redhead didn’t pull away. However, there was a reason to stop the hug moments later. The sound of a whole bunch of people running up the stairs was startling. Steven walked over and started explaining that Rayquaza had Mega Evolved. May started shouting about the meteorite, and handed Archie his anchor. She then handed Maxie his glasses. Archie turned to leave, but by the time he got down to the reception area he noticed that Maxie was following him.

 

     “The meteorite. It did have power to trigger mega evolution.”

     “Yeah, good job on that.”

     “Archie, I- I mean, it was all chance. I gave Emmett that meteorite, and it ended up helping!”

     “Ya helped indirectly, aye.”

     “I’m floored. Absolutely floored.”

     “And adorable.”

     “What?”

     “Gettin’ all excited. Just like the old days.”

     “Shut up. Shut up!”

 

     Archie watched as Maxie ran off. It was definitely everything all over again.


	9. Island In the Sun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Battle Resort is supposed to be a fun vacation with battles, but perhaps it can offer something more.

The invitation was simple. It offered a chance at experiencing the fairly new Battle Resort. The resort had all sorts of tournaments and challenges. There would be all kinds of battles and fun to be had. But it wasn’t just that, there was the appeal of being on an island that was as close to paradise as someone was likely to be.

Maxie looked over the invitation again. He couldn’t believe he was actually going to the Battle Resort. It was hard to believe that someone with a history of being seasick could manage riding on a ferry to the island without much trouble. Standing on the deck had proved to be too much, but staying in the cabin wasn’t too much of a problem. It was just horribly boring.

Upon arrival, everything was just as Maxie had expected it to be. It was a vacation to have fun, instead of just work. Years had passed since Maxie had had any sort of vacation. He found that tournaments were a great way to practice strategy. There were occasionally some double battles that would be fought against other trainers who’d signed up that were randomly determined. One would get a randomly determined battle partner for that round out of the many other trainers who’d signed up.

It just so happened that someone familiar was assigned to be Maxie’s partner for one round.

 

“Archie?”

“Hey! Didn’t know ya were here!”

“Can it, the battle’s about to start.”

 

The round didn’t go as well as expected. The reluctant partners lost and were eliminated from the tournament. Sure, there’d be another in two days, but Maxie was upset after getting so far. There was still a reward, but winning would have been better. Archie didn’t seem to give a thought about planning ahead. Instead, his pokemon knew moves that matched up with pure strength and brute force. Maxie was better at thinking on his feet, but his shortcomings were in the sacrifice of power when type disadvantages came into play.

After the battle, Maxie went off to look at how many battle points he’d accumulated. It was almost enough for a good prize. If he’d just been able to progress further through the tournament, everything would have worked out. If he hadn’t been assigned to battle alongside Archie, things would have turned out differently.

But suddenly, a memory came back. Maxie had battled alongside Archie before. It had just been long before. When Archie came strolling out of the building, Maxie stopped him.

 

“What happened?”

“We lost. Not that big o’ deal.”

“No, I mean, we used to be able to win.”

“We were friends at some point.”

“You knew me better back then.”

“I still do. ‘M just not used to coordinating.”

“Come on, Archie. Do you really?”

“Oh, Maxie, ya were off yer game.”

“I was not.”

“Distracted. Should’a been able to pick up on my strategy.”

 

Maxie had no reply to counter. It was true that he should have known that Archie would go for blunt force in a battle. He should have known that Archie’s sharpedo had better attack than defense. Maxie knew that he should have been able to cover the gaps in Archie’s strategy with his ability to think fast instead of having his pokemon charge at foes. But distraction? Perhaps he was surprised to see that Archie was at the Battle Resort and that they’d been paired up, but distraction had to be a stretch.

However, it started to become clear that distraction was the issue. Maxie started walking off to his resort suite. He’d rented a nice one not far from the Battle Maison so as to not have to deal with the ocean spray coming through the windows as one would have to worry about in the huts by the shore. It didn’t take long to notice that Archie was following.

 

“What do you want, you great buffoon?”

“Look, ya don’t have to pull out the insults.”

“Fine. Pray tell, though, Archie. What do you want?”

“Was gonna apologize seein’ as yer ass was all grouchy ‘bout losin’ an’ all but if this is how ya wanna treat me-“

“I’m still not used to you being civil.”

“Try it sometime. Ya might like it.”

 

Maxie turned away but refused to walk any further. The memories started to come back. Not all of them were good, but possible solutions came with them. Hindsight really was 20/20. Had he known way back when what would happen, Maxie would have never had a real reason to not work things out with Archie. Sure, there would be fights and disagreements, but the desire to change what already existed in nature had eliminated the chance of repairing what was cracking. Archie’s desire to increase the sea eventually fell into place, and that was the final straw. But the mess had been cast aside. Amends had been made, despite the stains on their histories remaining.

And in that moment, years started to melt away. Maxie looked back at Archie and imagined the tough man just as he was eleven years before. It was just as difficult to admit such a thought as it was to hear Archie voice a similar concept back at the Cave of Origin. Not much had changed, had it?

But what could be done in that moment? There wasn’t much, was there? And if the cut ties were to be bound together again, would that really work? Would Archie even agree to something like that? Maxie decided it was time to try. 

 

“Archie, it’s just- it’s been so long I never thought you’d come back.”

“Come back how?”

“Into my life, as in really in it. You’re everywhere, and it’s not a matter of you getting in my way. You’re in the way, yes, but in a different sort of getting in the way.”

“’M afraid I don’t follow.”

“It’s gone beyond me not minding you anymore.”

“And?”

“I’d rather you stick around. Would you stick around?”

 

The answer wasn’t a verbal one. It was a pat on the shoulder and messed up hair. The answer was in the way Archie smiled. Maxie was fully prepared to accept such an answer. They both went back to Maxie’s suite, but not much happened. There wasn’t really anything to catch up on anymore, but there were old jokes to be shared. And of course, it seemed right to relax quietly on the bed, resting in Archie’s strong arms. It was like the old days, and Maxie could have sworn he’d started missing those days even if the chance to get back to where he’d left off was right there within arm’s reach.


	10. However Far Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Archie is surprised to find that even if he goes off sailing, it's not impossible to track him down. But maybe he doesn't need to roam the open sea to find a sense of calm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me @ chapter: "get the hell out of my writing queue". me @ myself: "stop rewriting this multiple times into google docs in your phone and write something proper!!"
> 
> So here you go. Sorry it's been a long time, this got really difficult around chapter 8 (I demand quality from myself) and then... well it should wrap up SOON.

Gentle waves rocked a houseboat that had been anchored between Sootopolis and Pacifidlog. Archie had bought the little watercraft with the intent on taking it sailing from time to time. It really wasn't very big, but it was nice to be out on the open sea again. Archie would wake up at dawn, let his sharpedo out in the ocean for a while, and then pull up the anchor to move on. The only thing to watch out for was the nasty patch of currents just past Pacifidlog. But for the time being, there was a trip back to Lilycove planned. Archie wanted to get back to his base for some training. The Battle Resort still had some challenges to offer, and preparations had to be made.

 

A message came in over the pokenav plus. Archie had to read it twice- was that really what was meant? The text, from Shelly, said that someone was waiting in Pacifidlog for Archie. But the message didn't identify any particular person. So upon sailing to the floating town, Archie was very surprised to see that Maxie was sitting on the pokemon center’s raft.

 

Maxie looked horribly out of place in a town that was on water. It didn't make any sense to Archie why someone who had tried to make more land would set foot somewhere that had no land whatsoever.

 

“Got yer sea legs then?”

“Shut it. I'm doing my best.”

“Fall in the water yet?”

“Only once. You're lucky I tracked you down.”

“Come on, Max. Shells told ya I was out sailin’.”

 

A sigh and a nod was the response. But that still only created more questions. Why did Maxie want to track Archie down? It had to do with wanting to be friends again, that much was obvious. But then why not wait until Archie was at his base again? Why go to Pacifidlog?

 

“Archie, remember years ago when we really used to complement each other?”

“Complement like how?”

“The way the land and sea are at balance. We used to be balanced.”

“Aye. Before our idears got too big fer our heads.”

 

Silence followed. Archie stared at the water for a while. The sky's blue reflected on the ripples in the ocean was such a calming hue. There was a still freshwater pond near Rustboro though, and when there weren't ripples from magikarp blowing bubbles, the pond was nearly a mirror. Back in the day, Archie could see the stars reflected off of the surface of that pond.

 

But still further back was the memories of the sunsets reflecting on the ocean, rippling in the soft breezes and tasting the salty sea spray that would eventually hit one’s lips.

 

It was pretty obvious to Archie that Maxie wasn't really enjoying sitting in the sun on a raft. He decided it would be better to sit in the houseboat and chat in a more private situation.

 

“Max. Ya know that lil’ boat I got has some shade, right? Don’ want ya all sunburnt.”

“I guess that could be fine.”

“Are ya afraid of bein’ sick?”

“I'm mostly over that, Archie. Don't dote on me like that.”

“Ye’re the one who said ya wanted me back in yer life. I remember that clearly.”

“I know what I said. I did mean it.”

 

The two went and sat in the boat’s small quarters. Archie offered the loveseat to Maxie before flopping onto the full size bed. The lack of discussion was strange but not unfamiliar. Archie remembered days when he and Maxie first got back to Hoenn where they would barely speak to each other at all. That was just how things worked at times. Except those were days when Maxie was immersed in projects. The silence on the boat was far more awkward than seeing someone and not wanting to interrupt whatever it was they were doing.

 

Archie had to break the silence. Time seemed to plod on so slowly that the sunbeam coming through the small skylight looked as if it had been at the same angle for what felt like hours.

 

“Maxie. Ye’re here fer a reason.”

“I just wanted to see you. Is that okay?”

“Ye’re not lookin’ for a nemesis or a rival though, are ya?”

“No. Look, I know we will never get back what we used to have, but it would be great if we could do our best. If you don't want to, I'd understand. But if you could welcome me back, I would be pleased.”

“Ya didn' notice I'd gone back to ol’ habits?”

 

Of course Archie wanted Maxie to come back. That is, so long as the land expansion nonsense really had come to an end. The silence started in again. Archie watched as Maxie looked around at everything in the houseboat. It seemed as if he was deep in some intense thought.

 

What was going to happen, then? Archie crossed his arms and frowned. It wasn't like he wasn't complete. He was his own person, and he was fine on his own. He knew Maxie was the same way. Neither of them needed the other around to function properly. But at the same time, Archie knew that Maxie was right about the whole balance idea.

 

“Archie.”

“What?”

“I can't live in this. Eventually the water’s bound to be too choppy and what if there's a storm?”

“Wait. Max, ya don’ have t-”

“At some point I'm just going to be sick and miserable, and I don't want to bring you down. I don't want to make everything-”

“Maxie, just shut up for five seconds.”

 

Maxie just stared like a girafarig caught in a flashlight beam. Archie walked over, grabbed Maxie’s hand and gripped it tightly.

 

“Look. I didn’ say anythin’ about livin’ on this boat. An’ I know ya can't be stayin’ on the sea fer that long o’ time. Actually, I said nothin’ about us shackin’ up again but damn if not havin’ any projects gets lonely.”

“Archie, I'm sorry-”

“No, that's not what ye’re s’posed to say now. S’posed to be somethin’ about me comin’ to visit you every once in a while so I can apologize fer leavin’ ya at the resort.”

“Is that really how it's supposed to go?”

“Yeah. They say a pirate’s first love is the sea, but that's not first priority. That's just yer first crush.”

“So where's the sea on your list?”

“After you, Max. I didn’ realize ya meant I should continue to stick around. Thought ya meant to catch up. Shit, if ya wanna be with me that badly ya gotta say somethin’.”

 

A few awkward moments passed. Archie sat down next to Maxie and adjusted his grip so that he wasn’t holding Maxie’s hand at an uncomfortable angle. Maxie just leaned on Archie’s shoulder. Something about that moment seemed like it was the correct follow-up to the discussion that was had. But something still had to be figured out. Was the relationship officially back on? And if yes, was it going to be an attempt to pick up where it was left off- or was it something entirely new? Would there be a shared apartment - or house, that would be great too- or what?

 

“Archie, I think I’ve put everything aside.”

“Hmm?”

“Can we be together? Is that something possible?”

“Reckon it’d work. Did once before.”

“Can we just, I don’t know, go back and forth to each other’s places? And spend time together?”

“How much time, Max? Ya wanna see me when ya wake up e’ry morning ‘n such?”

“At some point I realized I did actually miss that, so yes.”

 

An idea formed. Archie suggested his base first, and the reply was that Maxie didn’t care where they went first so long as they went somewhere. Archie told him to stay put and went to pull up the anchor. Perhaps instead of going to the base first, they could enjoy the houseboat for a little while. After all, it did have a bed. The damned watercraft was called a houseboat for a good reason. The idea of camping on the ocean for a night was pitched- and a shrug was the answer. After the craft had its anchor dropped at its new position Archie went back to sit on the bed. He was surprised to see that Maxie had already stretched out across it.

 

The charms had started. It seemed as if Maxie’s reason for seeking Archie out had been to start dating again. Archie was more than okay with that concept. After all, there wasn’t any use in hiding how well he and Maxie balanced each other out. And well, it wasn’t as if anyone was going to give either of them shit for it. The only team admin who wasn’t around when the original dating period happened would be Courtney, but Archie wasn’t worried about any Magmas. And if Maxie didn’t seem bothered, there couldn’t be any reason to fret.

 

Archie smirked and pinned Maxie to the bed. The reaction was exactly as Archie expected it to be- Maxie playing along and reaching up as best he could with Archie’s hands on his shoulders to pull Archie down. It was just like old times.

 

“Kiss me, you fool. You utter, utter rapscallion.”

“Oh ya scurvy lil mighyena. Beg for it.”

“I’m the boss, Archie. Always have been.”

“My boat, my rules. But damn if ya don’ look temptin’.”

“Oh, no, the pirate captain has taken me hostage. Deary me, whatever shall he do?”

“Now ye’re just makin’ it weird, Max. Kisses it is.”

 

Archie started kissing Maxie on the lips before pulling away and leaning in to kiss his lover’s chin and then down to his neck. He hadn’t forgotten entirely how soft Maxie was despite being all bony and everything. All the same, though, Archie felt like it was the first time. Perhaps it was because he was paying more attention and he could definitely tell that Maxie had gained a bit of muscle mass during their time apart. Archie wondered how it’d feel to let Maxie rough him up just a bit- not to wrestle, oh goodness no. A bit of rough kissing and-

 

“Goodness, Archie. You can barely wait to have at me.”

“Max-”

“You’re driving me absolutely mad.”

“Really, now?”

“I still have dignity, I’m not going to rip off my clothes and throw myself at you.”

“Would kill the mood. Always had a bit o’ fight in ya.”

“You’re right, it wouldn’t be the same. But I’ve had quite enough. I can’t remain this restless for long.”

 

Archie swallowed hard with anticipation as he watched Maxie start removing the clothes he had on. It was still strange as hell to see the man without long pants and long sleeves, but the climate in Pacifidlog was a different kind of heat. But that just meant there was less to take off. Less time being spent getting ready, and more time being spent getting down to business. Archie quickly dropped the pants he was wearing and now, down to his shorts, it was time to pull Maxie into a rough, heavy kiss.

 

It was several minutes before the two were grasping for the blankets and scrambling to get comfortable. The sheets weren’t the softest, but Archie had never really minded it. He only thought of it because of how the cloth seemed almost scratchy in comparison to Maxie’s smooth skin. The sea had given the man a sense of comfort; a sense of being home and safe. But the sensation of the cheap sheets in the houseboat bed combined with the warmth of spooning someone brought back memories of being back in Rustboro. Sure, the sea was home. Pacifidlog was home. But Archie realized in that moment that wherever he was, it wouldn’t quite be complete without Maxie.

**Author's Note:**

> A hypothetical Emerald protagonist is in play, besides May. This is a retelling of Emerald, but adapted to the ORAS-verse. Thus, Delta Emerald. It's definitely recommended to read the other two parts of the series before this. It adds so much more drama and offers a potential explanation for something a certain grunt says in-game.


End file.
